84th Annual Academy Awards: Who Wore What? Michelle Williams in Louis Vuitton

Michelle Williams in Louis Vuitton: This is one of my favorite looks of the night and definitely Michelle's best look of the Awards Season. Marc Jacobs, who designs for Louis Vuitton is the perfect person to custom design a dress for Michelle because you can tell that they definitely have the same aesthetic; a quirky, vintage, girlie style.

I love the peplum style dress on Michelle, making her waist look teeny tiny, and the beautiful diamond brooch at the waistband. The coral color is beautiful against her skin and the detail work of the chiffon is exquisite.

Did you think Michelle was a Fashion Winner tonight? Let me know your thoughts!

Grey

Yesterday I survived the greyest and dullest five and a half hours of my life when the power was cut during the middle of the day, although I spent a good three hours reading in bed there's only so muchof the characters you can take in a single sitting. No, I find that writing can be as stimulating, if not more than reading although both are equally important experiences in literature to improve one's vocabulary and understanding of language. That was my big philosopical discovery I dealth with when bored to death yesterday.

There's an awful lot of animals in this collection of grey images, I'm rather unimaginatively cleaning out my hardrive of images by collecting them in colour- however I seem to be colourblind and have lobbed together some images using off white as well as photographs in black and white as well.In my defenced, a little bit of colour here and there is necessary to keep everything a little more interesting and give it movement- unlike that very fat and lazy cat sitting atop a black couch. Being a cat would be great, they sleep for a ridiculous amount of time such as sixteen or seventeen hours and no one yells at them because that's they way they're made.

I suppose animals that are naturally black and white as well as the use of black and white film to give varying shades of grey is a little more popular than producing a lot of grey clothing, shoes and accessories. Although the shade may be used for unisex bags such as satchels and also for warm and cosy sweaters, it's not too often you see a dress in fully grey when there's such an array and spectrum of colours available at disposal.

A grey overtone to a photograph can be a great illusion to make things appear older than they actually are, although for the pegs, quality of clothesline, woollen and irregular socks as well as lace peter pan collar, this photograph may well be the real thing. Still- I like to imagine it's some poor arts student pulling our leg and recreating the whole thing in an semi-unusual

attempt to represent the squashing of small business owner's (the cats) and the girl as big business/ the government.

  There's a bit of a blue-collar worker appeal to this photograph- I think it's the messy bun and fly away hairs as well as the grey and worn denim reminding me of a boiler room suit. I have been meaning to buy myself a denim jacket or shirt from Etsy for the last few days but I bought a second Yves Saint Laurent Arty Ovale ring, this time in black and I'm waiting for both to arrive. I know it's an incredibly stupid move from any angle you perceive it but the ring I don't like as much will be put back on eBay and the pink ring only cost $200 all up anyway when bought from America. 

I personally quite like wearing grey, I'm wearing a daker grey shirt right now but there's also the marle grey effect I have in both a long sleeve shirt and a short sleeve shirt that I find comfortable and casual. It's a simple shirt to wear with jeans whether they be black or blue denim and also I enjoy wearing black vans as a way to finish off the casual outfit. I think on the rare occasions I escort my mother to the shopping centre, that's my fail safe outfit. I also have a wonderful Ashish X Topshop jumper with spiked eppauletts in a dark grey colour that's super comfy.

Again, with the use of film photography, a 35mm roll of film in black and white as well as soft focusing there is a nostalgic appeal about this photograph coupled with the feminine plunging back of this dress ended with a bow, as well as the hand wearing a lace glove on the hip. It must be an older photograph from the pose of the woman and the difficulty of finding really good vintage gloves these days. Of course I know where to look and what the great colours are, small little attachements for gloves as well as hand muffs but I'm all keeping it a secret for myself.

I know the first thing you look at when you first view this image is the rather large and unusually shaped butterfly helf gently between two open hands but when you're skimming busily through all your files with an overview of the picture, it's surprising to see that grey is the predominant colour. It must be the fact that every other colour in this photograph is so dull that the butterfly seems an even more magical and beauteous creature.

I don't care that this is most likely a fake advertisement for Marc Jacobs, I just love the billowing curly hair falling out of this vintage space suit helmet in whisps like smoked as well as the heavy mascara and drawn eyelashes around the the eye at the eyebeows and around the lower lashes. It's a very surreal shot and like something you'd expect a five year old to do with her Barbie doll, undress her of her original clothes and maybe make a helmet out of tin foil if they were inclined towards space and grey up watching Sailor Moon. The hem of the space helmet quite neatly hides the breasts from the lens of the camera but we can still see and enjoy their rounded  fullness.

I'm still waiting for the ballet wedges from the collaboration of Jeffrey Campbell and Wildfox to be released so I can realise the dream of finally becoming a graceful dancer at last- but it's just as well they haven't been released yet. I don't have any money yet to fund the shopping purchase but I should be saving for the rest of the month to fill up my term deposit when it matures as well as depositting money into the holiday funs an shared kitty. Even with very little to currently buy at the moment my thoughts are full of money.

Where Them Girls At?

Please excuse the grammatical nightmare of a title for this post- admittedly my best thinking does not occur during hot weather when I simply cannot be bothered to tie up my hair and also when I've been sitting at my computer work station for far too long.Since I've been stalking Tavi's blog as well as the tag posted under her name on Tumblr, I sort of wanted to pull together a vague compilation of school photographs. In black and white and first is an old photo shoot for New Zealand label, Twenty Seven Names which I love to death. For some strange reason, their awkward clunky Doc Marten style shoes in brown as well as mid calf socks in white reminded me of myself and really did it for me. I kinda wish I could go back to high school, just so I could wear those socks everyday again and also wear Doc Martens for my school shoes this time around.

 

Another feminine feature I'm mildly obsessing over is 'Chanel' advertisements and to a lesser extent, the Marc Jacobs ones too. It's sort of gotten to the point where the actual content of the ad in question is pretty or not, but when I see that word or combination of words my mind instantly assumes that the 'innards' so to speak will be pretty too. I think I have one or two magazine extracts on my wall for Chanel and Marc Jacobs but none of them are set up in this manner but they've certainly cracked the market and gotten a following of girls online. Evident from the fake advertisements people create with say, a volcano erupting instead of a girl holding perfume.
 

 

At the moment I'm tossing up whether or not to join the photography club at my university but the outings they listed for last year are only really suitable for landscape photographers and I'm more keen to capture interactions between humans or get into a studio space and do a little old-fashioned film shoot. Nothing says romantic more than a gorgeous girl dressed properly as well as soft focus photography.

 

I'm usually not that big a fan of blond but on the model shown here the peroxide shade looks quite charming and becoming- then again, I do also have a fondness for model Amanda Booth who now has light purple hair and tan skin in a similar shade to this model. Maybe I'm jealous of their legs and how stick thin they are, I referee once a week and previously played basketball twice a weak but I never did manage to slim down my thighs and calves. I know my calves are all muscle but my thighs are just a let down in comparison to this shining beacon of hope.

Seeing an image like this makes me more inclined to get my eyebrows professionally down but they look natural and I'm happy with how they are plus changing them can really drastically change the way a person's neutral expression look. I'm also in a long-term relationship and going something like that may certainly change things in a bad sort of way so without the old ball-and-chain I might but for now I'm all good. The models who have striking and thick eyebrows are usually the ones with the most delicate facial expressions and features so I may not be able to pull off something as well as they can.

Daisy Marc Jacobs

 

I don't know a lot about the scent of Marc Jacob's two perfumes Daisy and Daisy Eau so Fresh but I do love the romantic photo shoots in which the two scents star in. I wish I could know a little of the ingredients but online results only turn up sites where I can buy the perfume- I suppose I'll have to wait for my next birthday or something to receive perfume to keep me smelling lovely and alluring. When I worked as a perfume spritzer girl for Chanel I learned that Marc Jacobs is owned by/ is a division of Calvin Klein but their perfume lines are very different with Marc Jacobs perfume having a younger approach and using more floral tones as well as floral designs for the bottles of their perfume.

The use of long wild hair and pure white dresses reminds me a lot of a poem I studied in Literature, 'La Belle Dame Sans Merci' or the beautiful lady without pity as it translates to in English. It's about a woman who ensnares men and her hair was long and her foot was light, and her eyes were wild. I suppose for all we know she well could have existed and at one point she may have danced around with a large perfume bottle in her hands and her eyes closed spinning around a field.

 

I can't really imagine the Marc Jacobs line of fragrance getting any more feminine, but i was proved wrong with the launch of Eau So Fresh- a pun regarding perfume lines, the term 'eau' preceding either toilette or parfum in distinguishing between the strength of the fragrance. That adds a little more mystery to whether the new and fresh look on the second Daisy scent is stronger or lighter than the first scent of the range.

I've been meaning to wear more perfume and more often so I can collect a few more bottles but I have little occasion to wear perfume and I usually forget. The times I did remember to wear perfume I was single and I guess trying to attract the opposite sex but since I am not in a happy and settled relationship I have a weaker mindset when it comes to fighting for attention. I have a few little bottles of parfum from Chanel as well as a similar small range of perfumes from Estee Lauder that I've failed to make a dint in.

This highly sexualised photograph sort of emphasises the mental link I make with perfume and how it attracts the opposite sex. While I do love the use of the over sized prop bottles in photo shoots for perfumes one can't help but be a little disappointed with their real-sized perfume bottle. It does take a while just to finish a normal bottle of perfume and there is no vanity big enough to fit these monsters but it would be nice to be able to own one, just for the sort of rough photography you could pull off yourself.

When I finally get the chance to meet new people and make friends I should endeavour to wear some new perfumes or at least finish off the bottle of what I used most frequently. I haven't yet properly finished a bottle of perfume, but wearing it when I don't lead much of an exciting life seems like a waste and while I do sometimes think to buy perfume it's only at Christmas time that it sort of enters my mind to do so. I'm more into discovering jewellery and clothing rather than perfume but my current situations prevents me from buying any of the three.

New York Fashion Week Fall 2011: Carolina Herrera, Marc Jacobs

NY Fashion Week Highlights: Polka Dots, Lace and Ladies Who Do Late Lunches...

Polka Dot Mini Muse Couture: A look from Marc Jacobs Fall 2011

Carolina Herrera Fall 2011:

For her latest Fall 2011 Collection, Venezuelan-born, American Designer Carolina Herrera--a favorite of Barbara Walters, the Kennedy's, well-heeled old-money East Coast set and Renee Zellweger to boot--sent out what looked like "Real Ladies Clothes"; sellable, well-tailored, elegant clothes. No trickery. Clothes that one might actually see in her boutiques--as well as Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, etc. Colors ranged from gray, pumpkin orange to ocean blues. Lots of fur. And some iridescence for evening. Two standout details: The Funnel Neck covered-shoulder "Capelet" and...wait for it...SENSIBLE shoes! These Ladies Do Late Lunches sans their 5" Louboutin Platform Pumps! See for yourself:

Pumpkin Sheath: Carolina Herrera Fall 2011

Ready For A Luncheon: Carolina Herrera Fall 2011

Baby It's Cold: Carolina Herrera Fall 2011

Gala Old Money: Carolina Herrera Fall 2011

Watch Full Runway Show of Carolina Herrera Fall 2011 Below:

Marc Jacobs Fall 2011:

Polka Accessories: Marc Jacobs Fall 2011

Latex, Lace, Polka Dots and Boxy-Fitted: These are words to describe the prints, fabrications and silhouettes at Marc Jacobs Fall 2011 Collection, debuted this week at New York Fashion Week. As always, with Marc Jacobs, there were LOTS of fun details and great individual pieces. For example: Love that blue-violet over-sized paillette skirt below and those Booties and trust me, we'll see plenty of Glam Girls pre-ordering that Polka Dot Bag as well!

Snow Woman Couture: Marc Jacobs Fall 2011

Bishop (Sleeves) and Lace: Marc Jacobs Fall 2011

Watch Full Runway Show of Marc Jacobs Fall 2011 Below:

NY Fashion Week Spring 2011: Marc Jacobs, Carolina Herrera and Jason Wu-- Photos and Runway Video!

COLOR, Voluminous Shapes vs Fitted, Purples and Violets, Black & White, 70's Vibe, Prints and Korea???!!!

Marc Jacobs Spring 2011 Disco Girl

As we know, NY Fashion Week Spring 2011 occurred several weeks back--and from all accounts, the new venue at Lincoln Center got an A. I was invited to the Project Runway Season 8 Finale which was held at Lincoln Center but unfortunately, work called and I had to be in Miami to hosts Fashion's Night Out for Macy's...I've been busy traveling for those Macy's events as well as working on my own NIKOLAKI Spring 2011 Collection with my partner David Paul so I didn't get a chance to post some of my favorites and highlights from this last NY Fashion Week. I'll try and post more from Milan and Paris, of course, but for now here a few of my thoughts plus photos and video from NYFW.

Marc Jacobs Spring 2011:

It's all about the 1970s for Marc Jacobs Spring 2011. Imagine photos from 1976 Vogue Magazine with Iman (above), Anjelica Huston, Bianca Jagger, the Charlie Perfume ad...models with crimped hair, strong smokey eye and even stronger lipstick. All that's missing is the doorman at Studio 54!

It was VERY Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche too! Maybe the young Fashion School Kids of these days are too young too remember but I DO...

Le Pouf: Voluminous violet-colored dress with side pockets

Where's my Cointreau: Wide violet-colored pants, printed knit top, fabulous hat...very Sonia Rykiel...

Golden Girl: Gold kimono-sleeved jacket and micro shorts

Traveling to Vietnam First Class Ma'am: Red floor-length skirt suit with matching safari jacket

Marc Jacobs Spring 2011 Runway Video:

Carolina Herrera Spring 2011:
Venezuelan-born American designer Carolina Herrera was inspired by the traditional clothing of Korea as well as botanical plates. Alright Carolina, you go there darling!

In the photos below you could see that inspiration translate into those top hats which are worn as part of Korean costume as well as obi-wrapped ties and bows--very Korean Airlines Flight Attendant Having Cocktails...As usual, she sent out her signature white shirts and blouses (which she always wears for her bow) as well as dresses and suiting perfect for her Park Avenue clientele.

Anybody for Kimchi Tonight: A Khaki sheath dress with floral applique, tucked-draping and that fabulous Korean-inspired hat

Wrap It Up: Chanel Iman models a shapeless & color-blocked (TWO Spring 2011 trends in one!) dress with an obi-tied accent

Where's The Ball: The Finale Gown in heavy ivory jacquard with black accents and of course, side pockets.

Carolina Herrera Spring 2011 Runway Video:

Jason Wu Spring 2011 Collection:
NY Wunderkid Designer--and Michelle Obama's fave--also went rather 70s with his Spring 2011 Collection. And just like Marc Jacobs, seemed to have rather overt nods to the Master, Yves Saint Laurent. Case in point: The see-though blouses, the perfectly tailored pleated pant suits and printed cocktail dresses straight from a "vintage" 1990 YSL Collection. I'm sure when those aforementioned blouses get to a Saks Fifth Avenue near you, they will probably be lined in silk habotai or come with a nice little silk camisole. If not: Ladies, you are on your own...

No Bra Required: White see-through tied blouse with full-pleated natural-waisted trousers

I Need a Virginia Slims: Above-the-knee printed silk ruffled dress

Ebony and Ivory: Black and white ensemble featuring a striped bustier and front cascade ruffled straight skirt.

Jason Wu Spring 2011 Runway Video: